"Lessons in Living" is an original collection of inspirational writing about the quest for faith and spirituality.
Taylor's visit to Cal State Northridge will begin at 5:15 p.m. with a reception in the university's Bookstore near the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge. At 6 p.m. she will give a short speech, answer questions from the audience and sign books.
Her visit is sponsored by the San Fernando Valley chapter of the National Council of Negro Women. All proceeds from the book signing will benefit the council, a community-based organization that provides a variety of services to women and their families.
Essence turned 25 this year. Taylor has been its top editor for 14 years. She has seen circulation increase from 600,000 to 1 million, reaching an estimated 5.2 million readers monthly.
Taylor was raised in Harlem and Queens, New York, the daughter of Caribbean immigrants. She married at 20 and dreamed of being an actress. She was accepted into the Negro Ensemble Company, but dropped out when she became pregnant at 23. She eventually enrolled in cosmetology school and with her husband started a cosmetics company geared toward African American women. She later divorced and lost the business. Taylor joined Essence in 1970 as a freelance beauty editor, and eventually worked her way up to the top.
"Lessons in Living" is Taylor's second book. Her first, "In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor," was published in 1993. There are now more than 300,000 copies of that book in print.
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